Back to Dodge
by SingerMe
Summary: Lee and Amanda make a return to 1870's Dodge City, Kansas. A sequel to Gunsmoke and Spies
1. Chapter 1

**Back to Dodge**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had than that.

**(AN: A while back, I wrote a story called Gunsmoke and Spies, to honor the two shows I love the most. When I finished that, I thought I was done with that storyline. But apparently, I was wrong and this one popped up. I am leaving this as primarily a SMK story, because, like last time, it starts and ends with Lee and Amanda. Set in season three.)**

**(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**SMK**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)**

Lee had been in tough spots before, but he was beginning to think this was his toughest.

He had tracked American agent, Victor Mills, who was suspected of being in with the Russians, to an abandoned house at the edge of Washington. There he watched him meet with two other men Lee recognized as KGB.

But he had trouble finding a way to get close enough to hear what they were saying. He had no listening devices with him as he hadn't been actually working when he saw Victor.

Lee had actually been at a liquor store picking up a bottle of wine for his dinner date with Amanda. But when he saw Victor, all plans were put away until he figured out what the man was up to. That's why he was hunched over behind an overflowing and smelly trash bin in an alley, trying to get close to an abandoned office building that had no blind spots.

He was about to give up entirely when the dumpster, he'd been leaning on, begun to roll away from its spot. Rumbling loudly as it went; it headed straight for the side of the building, exposing Lee completely to the spies' sight as they looked out of the window upon hearing the noise.

Lee was no coward; no part of one, but Lee was prudent and he knew when it was time to cut his losses. His one gun against the three that were now pulled and pointing at him was too uneven. Quickly, he began to run, hurling himself across the fence of the neighboring property and around the corner into the next alley.

But he didn't escape unscathed. One of the men inside the house had broken out the window and began to fire. Lee was hit once in the left leg. But he continued to run. Adrenaline and the fact that he couldn't and wouldn't let the KGB have a US agent, kept him going until he reached his car.

His leg was throbbing but he distanced himself from the pain and threw himself into the driver's seat. He managed to drive several miles before he succumbed to his wound and the darkness finally began to claim him.

The last thing he saw before his eyes closed and his car began to drift off the road, was a billboard for a local TV station advertising the western it aired every night. A western about a tall US Marshal in a small town called Dodge City.

**(*(*(*(*(**L&A**)*)*)*)*)**

"Is he any better?" Amanda clung tightly to Lee's hand and looked up at Doc Adams as he listened carefully to his patient's heart and checked his pulse.

"Yes, I think he is." Doc finally nodded after laying a hand on Lee's forehead for a moment then tugging at his right ear lobe. "His fever's broke and he's breathing easier. But he's going to be down for a while."

Amanda breathed a visible sigh of relief and looked back over at Lee. "That's alright," she said, "as long as eventually he can get back up."

"He will." Doc smiled kindly at her. "But you won't be able to see it if you don't go and get yourself some sleep. You two have been here now for three days and I bet you haven't had more than two or three hours of sleep."

"I've been too worried to be tired." Amanda gently pushed a lock of sandy brown hair away from Lee's sleeping face.

"Amanda." Kitty spoke up for the first time. She'd been sitting quietly in the corner while Doc examined Lee. "Doc's right. You need rest. You're not going to be of any help to Lee if you're exhausted when he does wake up. Now, Doc said he's going to be alright and I believe it. So, come on. Let me walk you back over to Ma's."

Doc frowned over at Kitty. "Looks who calling the kettle black."

Kitty waved him off, knowing he was right. She was the same way with Matt when he was hurt.

Amanda looked up gratefully at her friends before once again settling her gaze on Lee. Slowly getting to her feet, she bent over and kissed him lightly on the lips before turning back to Kitty and Doc. "I'll go. But, Doc, if he…"

"I'll send someone for you right away. Now go on with Kitty." Doc told her as he scrubbed his mustache.

With one final glance at Lee, Amanda silently followed Kitty from the room and out of the office. Her mind was still trying to come to grips with what had happened three days prior.

Although Lee's job required him to travel a bit, it seldom sent him much further west in the US than St. Louis. And since she'd been forced to resign her job at the same government agency, due to her and Lee's marriage, she didn't expect they'd ever be able to come back to Dodge and visit with the friends they'd made there on their first trip, almost a year prior.

But circumstances had contrived to bring her and Lee back to the dusty streets of Dodge City. He was sent there to enlist the retiring US Marshal into government service as hopefully a director of their new western division of spies. Since they weren't on a mission and Amanda's sons and her mother were away visiting her Aunt, Amanda decided to go with him.

It seemed a perfect way to combine business and pleasure and for them both to spend some time with the friends they'd made in Kansas. But no sooner did they arrive, than Lee got caught up in a bank robbery.

After arriving in town, Amanda and Lee had joined the Dillon's in Delmonico's for dinner when a cry of "They're robbing the bank!" was heard. Dillon jumped to his feet immediately and took off. Lee spared Amanda only a glance, as he too jumped up and ran towards the exit. "Stay put." Was the last thing he said to her before he left.

The not-yet retired Marshal Dillon caught the bank robbers and reclaimed the money. But Lee had gotten caught in a crossfire and landed in Doc's office with two bullet wounds, one to his upper left thigh and the other a graze on the side of his head.

Amanda had been tirelessly sitting by his side as much as possible since, neglecting herself in favor of watching over the man she loved.

Kitty had several times tried to get Amanda to leave and get rest and food, volunteering herself to stay with Lee. But Amanda had refused. Not until she was certain he was going to be alright, was she going to relax. And now Doc had told her just that. Lee would be fine.

For that, Amanda was grateful, although she still wanted to stay up in Doc's office, next to Lee. But Doc and Kitty were right and she knew it. She needed rest if she was going to be able to take care of him when he did wake up. So she followed Kitty over to Ma Smalley's, certain the worst was now over.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"Kitty." Matt called, when he saw her crossing the street to the Long Branch. "How's Stetson?"

"He's doing a lot better." She gave him a relieved smile. "As a matter of fact, he was doing well enough that Doc and me were able to convince Amanda to go and get some rest. I just now left her over at Ma's."

"Good." Matt tucked his thumbs into his belt. "I sure am glad to hear that. I hated that he got hurt trying to help me."

"Matt." Kitty's voice was slightly stern. "It wasn't your fault that he jumped into that gun fight between you and those robbers. He did that on his own when he saw you were outgunned."

"I know." Matt sighed. "But still. He and Amanda had only been here a day, when this happened. Not exactly the best way to spend time with friends."

"No." Kitty agreed as she reached up and placed her hand in the crook of her husband's arm. "But at least they are with friends and safe. Now, what you say, you walk me back over to the Long Branch. I'll buy you a drink." She raised a brow and he grinned.

"A drink is not exactly what I was hoping for." He raised his own brow.

"Sorry, Cowboy." She chuckled. "But this time of day, that's the best I can do. Besides, aren't you supposed to meet the new marshal when he gets here?"

Matt's grin turned into a scowl. "Yeah." He nodded. "I forgot about him."

Kitty shook her head and led Matt back down the street towards their soon to be former home. After she and Matt were married, they both decided it was time for them to change some things. So Matt turned in his retirement papers and Kitty began the search for, if not a new owner, at least a partner in the Long Branch.

She found both in Hannah. Broad as she was tall with dark red hair and a temper to match, she was quite possibly the only other woman that would be able to handle the place. She and Kitty hit it off instantly and she was fully prepared to jump right in as soon as Kitty left the Long Branch for good, in a week's time.

Upon receiving Matt's resignation letter, the War Department immediately asked him to delay his retirement until they could find a suitable replacement. He was happier about that then Kitty but still, he recognized his time as a lawman was fast coming to an end and he was anxious for the next chapter of his life to begin.

That was until he found out who was to replace him.

Brock Dowd was a US Marshal originally assigned to Colorado. About Matt's age, medium height, thinning blonde hair with a slight paunch, he thought a great deal more of his self and his looks than most other people did. Matt had run into him a time or two in the course of his job and he couldn't say he'd enjoyed the experience. He didn't trust the man and hated the thought of his being Marshal of Dodge.

But Matt wasn't in charge of who took over after he retired. The war department was and they had sent Dowd. A decision he seriously hoped they didn't come to regret. He thought young Stetson would make a better marshal than Dowd ever had or would. Lee certainly had better instincts and was a great deal more trustworthy. And Lee had the courage and strength to do the job.

"Matt." Kitty lightly admonished his brooding as they approached the bat wing doors of the saloon. "Give it time. Maybe this Dowd will be just fine. I mean you've already done all the hard work around here. All he has to do is maintain what you've built."

Matt didn't argue but he didn't agree either. He had a bad feeling about Brock Dowd coming there and he knew something was about to go wrong. But until it did, there was nothing he could do.

Deciding to get his mind off of the matter, long enough to share a drink with his wife anyway, Matt patted the hand in his arm and pushed open the doors for her. "Let's go have a drink before I have to meet him." He gave her a winning smile.

But Kitty wasn't fooled. She knew Matt way too well. He was worried about this new Marshal and he didn't trust him. Since she trusted Matt and his instincts about people, she was now worried.

She just hoped their worries added up to nothing. Because Doc had just told her, they would soon have something else to worry about that was a great deal more important to them than who was marshal in Dodge City, Kansas.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Later that day, Lee awoke with a bad headache and a warm hand holding his. Painfully, he turned his head and opened his eyes to see Amanda sitting beside him, holding tightly to his hand even as her eyes were closed in sleep.

When she'd gone to Ma Smalley's, she had managed to lay down for a couple of hours, but she still couldn't rest until she was certain that Lee was alright. So despite Ma Smalley's protests that she need to eat first, Amanda left the boarding house and went back to Doc's. There, despite the uncomfortable hard backed chair, she was in; she found sleep holding Lee's hand.

"Amanda?" Lee whispered and even that jarred his headache.

Instantly soft brown eyes flew open and Amanda sat up, smiling to see him awake. "Lee? Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Lee licked dry lips. "My head hurts." He answered. "What happened?"

"You were shot." Amanda answered, tightly trying to control the quivering of her lips when she said it. The sight of him lying on the ground, bleeding, still haunted and grieved her.

Lee closed his eyes and tried to think back. He remembered Matt Dillon leaving the restaurant where they were all having dinner when a shout of "They're robbing the bank" was heard. He remembered telling Amanda to stay put and running after the Marshal with his own gun drawn but that was about it.

"Dillon." He opened his eyes again and looked over at Amanda. "He okay?"

Amanda nodded. "He's fine. He wasn't hurt and he caught the robbers and got the money back. But you were caught in a crossfire and got hit. I was so worried about you, Lee. You've been here for three days and I didn't know if you'd recover."

"Well, don't worry." Lee answered. "I'm fine now." Pulling his hand from hers, he began to push the covers from his lengthy frame.

"Lee? What are you doing?" Amanda protested. "You can't get up. You're hurt."

"Amanda, I'll be just fine." Lee answered, ignoring her efforts to stop him.

"No, Lee!" Amanda placed both hands on his chest and resolutely pushed him back down. "You darn well came close to dying, Mister. And I will not let you get up and undo everything Doctor Adams did to save you."

"Neither will I." A voice came from the doorway. Lee and Amanda both turned their heads to see Doc coming in with a tray and a stern expression. "I worked awful hard to save your hide, young man." Doc glared at him as he sat the tray on the table next to the bed. "I will not have you mess that up. Besides, that leg of yours was hurt pretty badly. I doubt it'd hold you longer than a few minutes."

Lee glowered at both Amanda and Doc but inside he knew they right. His leg was beginning to thrum and just the brief few minutes he'd been sitting up had tired him out. "Alright." He said grumpily. "But as soon as I can, I'm getting out of here."

Doc shook his head with a scrub of his mustache. "You know, you remind me of a certain US Marshal I know, stubborn and stupid when it comes to your health."

Lee started to reply to that until he caught sight of the expression on Amanda's face and realized he really would be stupid if he commented. "What's on that tray?" He asked instead. "I do feel a little hungry."

"Broth." Doc answered. "You've been out for a couple of days now, so your stomach won't be up to a heavy meal just yet."

"Broth?" Lee's scowl deepened. "I'm hungry, Doc. I want a steak and potatoes and…"

"And you'll get some solid food when your stomach can handle it and not a minute sooner." Doc returned the scowl. "Listen, son, you may run things in Washington but you don't in my office. Here, I set the rules and I say you're going to stay in that bed, off of that leg and eat what I say, as long as I say, if I have to hog tie you."

Amanda had to quickly place her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling at the look on Lee's face. Getting up, she stepped away from him before she did just that. Always a doer, she knew he hated being sick and in bed. But she had to agree with Doc. Lee had to stay put for his own well being.

Deciding retreat was the better option than staying and arguing with him, she headed for the exit. "Lee, I'm going over to the Long Branch and see Kitty to let her know you're awake. She and the Marshal have been awfully worried about you."

Before Lee could reply, Amanda quickly slipped through the door with a smile. Lee was going to be fine and for once, he faced a doctor he couldn't buffalo or get around.

As Amanda crossed the busy street to the Long Branch, two men sat across the way and watched her, as they watched everyone else.

"Pretty woman." The taller man with the short brown hair and distinctive scar across his right cheek noted.

"Yup," his partner a shorter, huskier and much grayer man nodded. "But we ain't here for pretty women. We got one job to do here and that's to wait for the new Marshal."

The scar faced one looked over at his companion in consternation. "That's what we're doing, ain't it? It don't hurt none to look at a pretty woman."

Gray hair started to reply but changed his mind when he saw the red head come out of the saloon and greet the brunette on the boardwalk. Thinking about it, he realized his partner was right. It sure didn't hurt at all to look, especially when the women were as pretty as those two.

"Guess not." He said as he watched them talk for a moment and then head down the boardwalk together.

"Anyways," his friend sighed as he leaned back against the building they were next to and crossed his arms against his chest. "It ain't like there's much else to do. This place is as dead as dust."

Gray hair snorted. "You got that right. But when that new Marshal gets here, there'll be plenty going on."

"Yep, that's true." Scar face agreed with a snicker. "More than plenty."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

As Amanda and Kitty walked down the boardwalk to the jail, to tell Matt about Lee, Amanda glanced over at her friend and could tell her mind wasn't on Lee and his recovery. Amanda brought them to a stop. "Want to tell me about it?"

Kitty frowned at Amanda and then glanced around them to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. "How'd you know?"

Amanda shrugged. "I don't. At least I don't know the details, but I can tell you have something on your mind besides Lee's getting well and our visit and I know…" She stopped before she began to really ramble. "What's wrong?" She asked simply.

Kitty dropped her head for a moment and then looked around them again. Finally, she looked up at Amanda with a happy yet worried expression. "I'm pregnant." She answered quietly.

Amanda's eyes widened in surprise and joy. "You are? Oh, Kitty that is wonderful. How far along are you? Does the Marshal know? What is it a boy or a girl? Oh forget that you won't know that yet but what do you want? What does the Marshal want? What are…"

"Amanda." Kitty reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her rambling and pulling her away from the doorway they were near. "Matt doesn't know yet."

"He doesn't?" Amanda was stunned. "Well, why not?" Amanda's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Doesn't he want children?"

Kitty thought about that before finally shrugging. "I don't know. At least I don't know now. Before we were married, no. He didn't want them then because he was worried about putting a family at risk. But now…" She shrugged again. "Now, I just don't know. We've not really talked about it. To tell you the truth we weren't even sure I could have children."

Amanda understood. She remembered Kitty telling her about the evil man that had hurt her a few years back. "When are you going to tell him?" She asked.

"Well, I thought I'd wait until Matt's officially retired a week from now." She answered. "The new Marshal's just got here today and once Matt shows him the ropes and his final papers come through then he'll be free and won't have to worry about us so much."

Amanda watched Kitty's face and she could see something lurking just under the surface that looked an awful lot like fear. "Kitty, you don't think he'll reject the baby do you?"

Kitty shook her head. "No. He wouldn't do that. He… he wouldn't. But well, we've really just started our lives together. A baby can complicate that. Not to mention the fact that neither one of us are exactly really young."

Amanda reached over and gave her friend a comforting hug. "Children are a blessing, Kitty, no matter when you have them. And I have no doubts that you and Matt will be wonderful parents. You just wait and see."

Kitty gave her friend a grateful smile. "Thank you, Amanda. I appreciate that. But can I count on you not to say anything just yet?"

"Of course." Amanda told her.

As the two turned and started walking again, Gray hair and Scar face were sitting down to a beer at the Long Branch. They stood in the shadows long enough by their reckoning and they were thirsty. Besides, they'd just seen the new Marshal walk in there alone.

"He do look comfortable, don't he?" Scar face, whose real name was Ed Sisley noted as he looked at Brock Dowd. "Looks like he plans on staying a while."

His partner, gray haired Cloyd Norton, nodded. "Yeah, he does. But he's supposed to. As far as evraone in this town is concerned, he's here for permanent."

Ed took a sip of his beer and sat back in his chair, looking around the bar room. "Hey, there, little darlin'." He grinned when Sue, one of the saloon girls passed their table. "What say you and me get to know each other?"

Sue looked down at the grimy man with the three day growth of beard and shook her head. "Sorry, mister. I'm busy."

Ed glared at her as she turned and walked away from the table. "She's as uppity as that red head what owns this place."

Cloyd grinned over at him. "Cain't say as I blame her. You are one ugly looking man, Ed. Ain't no woman gonna wanta be with you."

"You take that back." Ed snapped as he got up from his chair. "You take that back right now. I ain't neither ugly."

Cloyd shoved his chair back and followed his friend to his feet. "I ain't neither taking it back. You are too ugly. That girl can see it, so's can evrabody else."

Red faced, Ed suddenly drew his gun and pointed it squarely at Cloyd's chest. "I said take it back." He demanded.

Cloyd reached for his own gun but suddenly Marshal Dowd was at their side. "You men have a problem? Take it outside."

Ed looked over at the Marshal and pointed his finger at Cloyd. "He called me ugly." He protested.

Dowd laughed. "You are. But that ain't no reason to fight. Now why don't you gents take this outside and leave this place just as nice as it was, when you walked in?"

Cloyd looked over at the man with the badge on his chest and grinned. "Well, why don't you just make us?" He challenged.

Dowd looked down at the ground with a laugh and a shake of his head and then suddenly grabbed Cloyd by the shirt and began to drag him from the saloon.

Though he protested, Cloyd gave very little resistance as, followed by Ed and a round of laughter, the new Marshal in town hauled him out of the saloon and down the alley next to it.

Several curious men followed the trio out and into the alley but Dowd gave them a glare and a demand. "You men go on about your business. There ain't nothing here for you to see. Go on, now. Move it."

For several seconds, he stood still, Cloyd still in his grasp and Ed standing silently by, while the saloon patrons returned to their drinks and cards. When all of them had left, Dowd looked around to make sure they were alone before he released Cloyd from his clutches and settled back with a smug smile. "Well?"

Cloyd and Ed both grinned and moved closer to him. "Mills and the rest of the men are coming in. They should all be here tonight." Cloyd said quietly. "Me and Ed, here's been checking out the town. Don't appear it'll be too hard to take."

"Maybe." Dowd took another look around them. "But even so, tell Mills to wait til I say. I want to set some things up for my self. I need to establish an alibi for when it all goes down so nobody looks my way when it comes time to point fingers. And I want to be the one to take care of Dillon."

Cloyd nodded. "Alright. We'll tell Mills to hold off till you say. But you best not stall for too long. Mills wants this town bad and he ain't gonna let you put him off forever."

"I won't." Dowd said confidently. "Don't you worry. By this time next week, we'll all be rich and Dodge will be but a memory along with Dillon and his friends, the Stetsons."

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Matt was glad to hear about Lee. He bore more than just a little feeling of guilt for the younger man getting shot in the first place. At least he wouldn't be leaving his job with Lee's death hanging over his head.

"So, how long does Doc think he'll be down?" He asked.

"He didn't say exactly." Amanda answered.

"Well, if I know Doc, it'll be at least a week, longer if he can manage it." Kitty grinned. She did know Doc and so did Matt.

But Amanda knew Lee. "It'll be hard to keep him down that long. Lee hates being laid up and can't stand not being able to get around. Doc will find it hard to keep him more than a couple of days."

Kitty laughed. "Sounds like someone I know." She grinned at her husband.

Matt arched a brow at her. "Me too."

Kitty's laughed dried up, but only for a moment. "Alright. Guess you got me there."

Matt joined her in the laugh as he reached down to the floor and picked up his saddle bags and placed them on the desk.  
Kitty's laugh dried up again, this time permanently. "What are those for?" She asked, a hint of irritation coloring her voice.

"I have to ride over to Garden City." Matt told her. "They sent me a wire about an hour ago, requesting I come and pick up a prisoner. They don't know Dowd yet and I figured it'd be better and quicker if I went and collected him myself. I'll take Dowd with me so next time they'll know who he is."

"Next time you'll be retired." She said pointedly. "And it won't matter whether they know him or not."

"True," Matt nodded with a slight tick of his head. "But this time, I'm still Marshal and I still have a job to do."

Kitty didn't like it but she knew there was no use arguing. As long as he wore that badge, married or not, he would follow its dictates. Swallowing her ire at both his leaving and the delay in telling him about the baby, she reluctantly nodded. "You leaving now?"

"Yeah," Matt answered as he put his bags down and reached over, pulling her into a hug. "But I'll be back as quick as I can. And unless something unforeseen comes up, this will be the last time I leave you. I promise."

Kitty looked up at him, blue eyes regarding him seriously. "Nothing unforeseen had better come up, Matt Dillon. I need you, ya know."

Matt chuckled softly as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Yeah, I know."

Standing behind them, apparently completely forgotten, Amanda watched the two and wondered if she and Lee would still be like that in twenty years.

That they were in love, she had no doubts, that their connection was as real and as strong as the Marshal and Kitty's, she also didn't doubt. But would that be enough? Would she be able to withstand the things that Kitty Russell had endured in order to be with the man she loved? Right then, she knew she would, but what if someone like Jude Bonner came into her and Lee's lives. Would she be able to cling to Lee as Kitty had to Matt and stay strong enough to not only live, but thrive?

That was a question she hoped she never had to face. But if she did, she'd deal with it then. Right now, she was just grateful that Lee was alive and getting better and they didn't have to worry about such things.

"Amanda?"

Amanda realized Kitty and Matt were looking at her and she blushed. "Sorry." She ducked her head for a moment. "I had my mind on Lee."

"I understand." Kitty said in a way that let Amanda know that she truly did understand. "I was saying that since, Matt will be gone tonight and tomorrow, and it'll be at least that long before Doc will even consider letting Lee go, why don't you stay at the Long Branch with me? I have an extra room and it'll save you the expense of another couple nights at Ma's. I mean, she's cheaper than the hotel, but she's not free."

"Well, I wouldn't want to put you out." Amanda answered.

"You wouldn't be." Kitty smiled warmly at her. "And I'd feel a lot better having someone else there with me. Hannah won't move in until after I leave and I have no girls currently staying there. So what do you say?"

"I'd love it." Amanda answered with a genuine smile of gratitude.

"Good." Kitty looked back up at Matt. "Come on, Cowboy. You can help me and Amanda get her bags over to the Long Branch before you take off and I'll treat you to a beer."

Matt grinned down at her. "Wish I had time for more than a beer."

""Me too." Kitty grinned back at him. "But just look what you'll have to look forward to when you get back."

Matt grabbed his hat. "Let's go. The sooner, I leave, the sooner I get back."

As the three left the jail, Dowd stood in the shadows across the street and watched them. The simplest thing to do was to let Dillon ride out to Garden City and then ride out of town himself on urgent business, leaving the town to Hays and his men. But Dowd seldom did anything simply. Besides, to his way of thinking, he owed Dillon something.

Several years ago, Dillon had turned in a report on Dowd that was less than flattering. Dowd had managed to keep his badge, but just barely and on the words of the revered lawman, he had had to work extra hard to gain back what he felt he'd already earned.

No, Dowd wasn't going to let Dillon off that easily. That rangy deputy of his, Festus, had informed Dowd that Dillon wanted him to ride to Garden City with him. Dowd had returned the deputies kindness by knocking him on the back of the head, tying him up and leaving him in the loft of the stable.

Grinning, Dowd decided that would be a ride that Dillon wouldn't soon forget. And while they were gone, Mills could take the town and Dillon's woman as well as anything and anyone else he wanted, including the Dillon's friends, the Stetsons.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Half an hour later, Matt and Dowd rode out of town. Dowd had tracked down his two in-town accomplices and told them to let Mills know that he could raid the town at dawn, the next day.

"Me and Dillon are both gonna be gone for two days. The one deputy's off playing doctor and the other one I've already taken care of. Mills can pretty much have what he wants. But make sure he pays special attention to the red head that owns the Long Branch and the brunette with her." Dowd had told them.

"The red head belongs to Dillon, the brunette's a friend. I don't think Dillon's gonna live long enough to know about them, but it'll give me some satisfaction to know they was took never the less."

But as Dowd rode west down the street beside the man he planned on killing, he didn't notice the short little man in the tattered coat go racing out of the alley and running down the street to the jail.

He didn't know that Louie Pheeters, town drunk and good friend of the Dillon's, had been taking a small nap behind some crates in the same alley as Dowd had chosen for his little talk with his cronies. He woke up just in time to hear the last part of the conversation.

Louie found the jail empty. Both of the deputies were gone. For just a moment, Louie faltered, not sure what to do.  
Then it hit him. If he couldn't get a hold of the Marshal or his deputies, he could do the next best thing and get a hold of the Marshal's wife. Miss Kitty would know what to do.

"Miss Kittttttyyyyyyy!" Louie yelled loudly as he raced into the Long Branch. Not seeing her behind the bar, he called. "Sam. Where's Miss Kitty? I gotta find Miss Kitty!"

"I'm right here, Louie." Kitty answered from the staircase. She and Amanda had spent some freshening up and fixing their hair. They had just left her rooms, headed out to dinner, when Louie came careening into the saloon as though the hounds of hell were on his feet. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Ya gotta hide, Miss Kitty!" Louie told her. "But ya gotta find the Marshal first. Those men are gonna kill him and hurt you!"

Kitty glanced at Amanda and then Sam and saw the same confusion she felt. "Louie, what men? What are you talking about?"

"Them men in the alley with the new marshal." He answered as though she should know. "See, I was taking me a little nap behind some crates and I heard these men talking. So I looked around and I saw that new marshal and he was talking to these two men. And they was saying that the Marshal was gonna kill Marshal Dillon and these two men was gonna get these other men and take the town at dawn tomorrow and they was gonna hurt you and Miss Amanda, Miss Kitty."

Kitty knew that when Louie was drinking he occasionally saw and heard things that weren't really there but she knew for a fact that Louie hadn't had a drink since the day before because he'd been working for her. And she was reasonably certain he wouldn't make something like this up out of whole cloth. And yet, what he was saying sounded kind of far-fetched.

"Louie, are you absolutely sure of this? I know you haven't had anything to drink but…" She watched his face closely.

"I ain't lying, Miss Kitty." Louie answered truthfully. "I ain't. I heard them men and that's what they was saying. Honest."

"Miss Kitty?" Sam, her bartender and friend, had a look of alarm on his face. "If what he's saying is true…"

"I know, Sam." Kitty answered. "Look, go down to the jail and see if Festus or Newly is there."

"They ain't." Louie spoke up. "I just come from there. They weren't nowhere to be found. That's why I come to find you. That new marshal said he took care of one of them." Louie looked about to cry.

"He must have meant Festus, Miss Kitty." Sam interjected. "I know Newly left to go out and check on some of Doc's patients for him. He didn't plan on being back til tomorrow night sometime."

"Kitty." Amanda stepped up beside her. "I don't mean to intrude but don't you think we should send someone to find Marshal Dillon? At least we can warn him and get him headed back this way. In the meantime, we can perhaps try to find Festus and these men or at least set up some sort of defense for the town."

Kitty nodded. "Sam, go get your horse. Matt and Dowd were riding over to Garden City. See if you can catch up to them. But be careful. I don't want you and Matt hurt and if Dowd thinks he's been found out…"

"I'll just tell the Marshal that you need him real bad." Sam told her as he took off his apron, grabbed his hat and brown coat and took off.

Kitty turned back to Louie. "Louie, did Dowd say what he did with Festus?"

Sadly, Louie shook his head. "No, Ma'am."

Kitty sighed. "Can you at least describe those two men?"

"Uh hum." Louie nodded enthusiastically. "They were… they were…" He stopped and then shook his head again. "I can't rightly say, Miss Kitty. But I'd recognize them if I saw em again."

"Alright, Louie." Kitty turned back to Amanda. "I'm not sure what we can do. With Matt, Sam and Newly gone and Festus heaven only knows where, we're not in much shape to hold off a gang of any size."

Amanda looked around her. The saloon was solidly built and though the men who normally handled law and order in Dodge were gone, that didn't mean they were defenseless. "Kitty," she grasped her friends arm. "Can you get some men and guns?"

Kitty looked at her strangely. "Why?"

"Because I have an idea." Amanda told her. "Look, I'm going to go and talk to Lee. You see how many guns you can get and how many people you can get to use them."

"Amanda, what are you thinking?" Kitty asked curiously.

"I'll tell you when I get back." Amanda said as she hurried to the door and over to Doc's office.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Doc heard someone on the stairs just as he was coming out of his patient's room. Glancing out of the window, he saw Amanda hurrying up and quickly he opened the door for her. "Oh, Amanda. Come in. Here to see your husband?"

"Yes, if I can." Amanda answered.

"Well, go right on in. He's awake right now but he won't be for long." Doc lowered his voice. "I just slipped him something to make him sleep. There's more than one way to keep him off that leg."

Amanda nodded. "Thanks, Doc." She managed a smile as she headed into the back room where Lee was.

"Amanda?" Lee questioned the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Who says anything's wrong?" She asked as she made her way over to the bed and sat down beside him. "I just came up to check on you."

"Amanda." Lee's voice took on a note of sternness. "This is me, remember? What's wrong?"

Amanda sighed. She came up to ask Lee's advice on setting up a greeting for the men soon to come, but she knew as soon as she did, he'd insist on getting out of that bed and taking charge of things. And although she'd like nothing better than for him to take control, she knew he wasn't physically able.

But then she spied the empty cup and remembered, he wouldn't be able to. Doc had taken care of that.

"Lee, I need some advice." She told him. "There's some men coming into town tomorrow morning. They're gonna raid the town. Marshal Dillon and Newly and Festus are gone and…"

Lee immediately began to push the covers from him, trying to get up.

"Lee! What do you think you're doing?" Amanda hissed as she pushed him back by the shoulders. "You can't get up on that leg!"

"Amanda," he pushed her hands away, "I have to. I'm a fed…" He faltered when he sat up too abruptly and got suddenly very dizzy. Bringing his hand up, he rubbed the back of his head, trying to shake it off but it seemed to be getting worse. "I… I… I don't feel so good." He finally admitted.

"I know you don't." Amanda helped him lie back and pulled the covers back over him. "And, in your condition there's not a lot you can do physically. But you're good at strategy, Lee. How can we protect this town without getting people killed?"

Lee's mind was growing increasingly foggy with the medicine Doc had given him and it was hard to concentrate, but looking at Amanda's anxious expression, he shook it off as best he could and seriously considered the problem.

"Rooftops." He finally said. "They'll probably come… right down Front Street. Put people… on the roofs… with rifles and on balconies. Wait until they all get close… an… and… op…" Doc's powders were now taking effect and it was getting increasingly harder for Lee to keep his eyes open and talk. "Open fire." He finally finished as his eyes shut and his rolled to the side.

Amanda quickly reached over and took his hand. "Lee?" But he didn't answer and she understood Doc's medicine had started working. Sitting for a moment and thinking of his plan, she finally got to her feet, kissed him softly on the lips and left the room.

Doc was waiting in the outer office. "He sleeping?" He asked, suddenly noticing Amanda's expression. "Is everything alright?" He glanced back towards the room Amanda had just left.

Amanda realizing what he thought, nodded and shook her head all at once. "Yes. No. I mean, well, Lee's fine. He's asleep. But Doc, there's some men coming into town and well, they're going to raid Dodge, and well you know if that happens, I mean, we just can't let it happen. I mean, of course we can't. We need to stop them…"

"Amanda." Doc reached over and grabbed her hand. He couldn't ever remember anyone who could ramble the way she did. Even Chester couldn't have held a candle to her. "When are these men going to get here?"

Amanda blinked. "Dawn." She answered.

Doc nodded. "Alright then. Let's see what we can do about getting that done."

After checking once again on Lee, Doc and Amanda headed down the stairs and over to the Long Branch.

Out on the prairie, several miles away from Dodge, Sam was riding as fast as he could, trying to reach the two Marshals before they got too far away.

Unfortunately, the sound of his coming reached the men before he could. Dowd had a feeling that whoever it was coming, would be alert Dillon of what he had planned. He decided he just couldn't allow that.

With a careful glance over to Dillon, who had stopped and was looking behind them, he dropped his hand to his gun and swiftly drew it from its holster, firing as he did so.

But Matt, who hadn't been completely oblivious to his riding partner's actions, had pulled his gun and fired at the same time. Both men went down.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Sam saw the two men up ahead of him and he urged his horse to go even faster. But he was still yards away when both men un-expectantly pulled their guns and fired, hitting each other and falling from their mounts. Sam continued racing forward, reining in only when he reached them.

"Marshal?" He called. "Marshal?" But as he jumped from his horse and hurried over to the fallen lawman's side, he saw he was beyond answering at the moment. The wound to his shoulder, though not too serious looking, had knocked the lawman from his saddle causing him to hit his head on a rock. Matt Dillon was unconscious.

Standing back up, Sam looked to where the other man was still lying. Taking the Marshal's gun from where it still rested in his hand, Sam cautiously approached the villainous Brock Dowd. But he didn't have to look too hard to see that Marshal Dillon's aim, even when shot himself, was true. Dowd was dead.

Sam closed his still open eyes, grabbed a saddle blanket and threw it across him. Going back to Matt, he pulled his own saddle blanket from his horse and used it as a pillow for the unconscious man. There wouldn't be much he could do for Marshal Dillon until he came to, if he came to, and he could determine how bad he was. In the meantime, all that was left was to wait and pray for the life of his friend and the safety of the people back in town.

The people in Dodge were worried about their safety as well. But with the leadership of two fearless women, they felt a little more secure in the knowledge that Dodge would be standing long after the bandits were gone.

While Doc returned to his office to get his shotgun ready, Amanda and Kitty spearheaded a campaign to make sure that every able bodied person in Dodge, who could be contacted and could fire a gun, was ready and waiting for the arrival of the bandits.

There were men placed on most rooftops across Dodge, not just on Front Street, in case they should try some other way in. And most balconies concealed someone with a rifle and the willingness to use it. Kitty had gone to her room and claimed a colt pistol that Matt had given her and taught her to use. She gave her derringer to Amanda, who handled it as though it were a snake.

"You sure don't like guns, do you?" Kitty asked as she watched her young friend take the weapon gingerly into her grasp.

"No." Amanda answered. "I mean, I don't mind guns, I just don't like to fire them. I mean, you know, well, you could kill someone with a gun, and well, I'm not a good shot anyway and I…"

"Amanda…" Kitty tried, but Amanda didn't hear her.

"know that guns can't kill but people can but still…"

"Amanda…"

"but even so, you know, it's just well, they make me nervous. I mean, well, I don't mean that the guns make me so nervous as the people who carry them do. And well, I just…"

"Amanda." Kitty finally caught her attention. "I understand and you're right. Guns, in the wrong hands, are dangerous. But when used by people like your husband or mine, or even ordinary citizens in defense of their lives and homes, they can save lives too. Remember that."

Amanda nodded as she glanced out of the windows of the saloon. It was now nearing eleven pm and she was tired. But she knew it'd be a long while before she could rest. If Louie was correct, a large contingent of men should be riding boldly down the street, in a few hours, looking to loot and pillage a defenseless town.

But thanks to her and Kitty, as well as the many other citizens willing to stand with them, they wouldn't find Dodge that easy to take. It was her hope that when the bandits arrived and found themselves surrounded by armed and angry people ready to stop them at any cost, they'd give up easily and there'd be no need for bloodshed.

Standing by her side, Kitty saw the brunette's uneasiness and understood that fatigue and worry weren't helping any.

"Amanda." Kitty gently took her arm. "Why don't you go on upstairs and get a couple hours of rest? It's likely to be at least that long before they get here."

But Amanda shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I couldn't sleep anyway."

Kitty pursed her lips for a moment and realized what would help her friend. "Then go up to Doc's and sit with your husband. He might be asleep, but he'll know you're there and it'll make both of you feel better."

Amanda turned and looked at Kitty, realizing she understood, probably better than anyone, how she felt. "Thank you, Kitty." He smiled gratefully. "I think I will."

Leaving the saloon, Amanda made her way quickly up the stairs to Doc's. As before, he had heard her coming and had the door open and waiting on her when she arrived. "How's Lee?" She asked when she crossed the threshold.

"He's still sleeping." Doc told her. "Everything set up around town?"

Amanda nodded. "Kitty has a lot of friends. One word from her and the whole town practically mobilized."

Doc grinned remembering a time when Kitty had enlisted the aid of her friends to stop a temperance preacher from drying up Dodge. "Yeah, if anyone can get something organized, she can."

"Doc, would it be alright if I sat with Lee for a while?" Amanda asked her eyes roaming to the door he was behind.

"Why certainly." Doc smiled. "As a matter of fact wouldn't hurt you any to lay down there beside him and get a little rest yourself."

Amanda smiled. "That's what Kitty said."

Doc chuckled. "She's been hanging around me. Go on in."

Impulsively, Amanda gave Doc a quick peck on the cheek and turned, going into the room where Lee lay sleeping. At first she perched herself in the uncomfortable hard backed chair beside the bed. But she soon realized that would not work as the longer she sat there, the more painful it became. With a shake of her head, she finally agreed with Doc, pulled off her shoes and settled into the bed beside Lee as quietly and carefully as she could so that she wouldn't wake him.

But even in his sleep, Lee seemed to know she was there and whether conscious of it or not, his arm moved and soon she was safely in his embrace, as a smile crossed his face and they both relaxed together.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Amanda awoke a couple of hours later to see Lee beside her, gently smiling at her. "Lee? How long have you been awake?"

"Not long." He answered with a slow smile. "I was watching you sleep. You looked so tired."

"I'm alright." She answered as she reached up and gently kissed him. "As long as I'm in your arms, I'm more than alright."

Lee grinned and returned the kiss and then some.

But all too soon, Amanda pulled away and looked around. It was still dark outside and quiet but she could see the sky was getting lighter. She didn't know long she had slept but it had to be close to time for their visitors to arrive. Realizing she needed to be up and ready, she began to rise, but Lee held her tight.

"What's wrong, Amanda?" He asked. He could tell she was worried about something. Then he suddenly remembered the brief conversation they'd had before he'd drifted off to sleep. Releasing Amanda, Lee pushed the bed covers away and began to get up.

"Lee, you can't get up." Amanda hurriedly got up from her side of the bed and ran around to his side, trying to keep him place. "You know what Doc said."

"Yeah, I know." Lee told her. "And I also know that band of very angry and blood thirsty men are going to ride in here shortly and try to take this town. It's my duty, Amanda, as a federal officer, to stop them if I can."

"How?" She asked, standing back with a hand on her hip. "Lee, you can't stand on that leg. You'll tear it up."

"She's right." Doc said from the doorway. He'd heard them stirring and opened the door to find Lee defiantly trying to get to his feet and put on his pants while Amanda was doing all in her power to stop him. "Young man, do you know how serious that wound was? You get up and go traipsing around and you could cripple yourself permanently."

"I don't care." Lee said stubbornly. "I can't just sit up here and do nothing while a murderous band comes into an unprotected town and takes it over."

"Who says it's unprotected?" Doc asked. "I'll have you know, your wife there and Kitty has this whole town organized. There's men and even some women armed to the teeth and ready to take out any bandit who dares step foot in this town."

Lee's eyes widened as he looked over Amanda. "You did?"

Amanda shrugged with a blush at the praise and the surprised but pleased look on Lee's face. "Well, you know," she ducked her head slightly, "it was, well, it was your idea. We just did what you suggested."

Lee shook his head in admiration. "Amanda Stetson, you never cease to amaze me."

Amanda's blush deepened just as a noise was heard from outside. Doc quickly left the room and looked out of the front window. The riders were coming in. He couldn't count the number but he knew there had to be at least 25 or 30.

Amanda appeared at his side, and looking out, saw the same thing he did. Without a word, she headed straight for the door, casting a quick glance at the bedroom. Doc turned to stop her, but she'd already slipped out.

"Heaven help her." He muttered.

As silently and swiftly as she could, Amanda made her way down the stairs and hugged the shadows of the alley. The lights of the Long Branch as well as all other businesses across town had been extinguished and for all intents and purposes, the town appeared to be asleep.

But looks can be deceiving and the band of desperado's who thought they would be taking over an unprepared and undefended town were soon to find that out.

The leader of the ruthless gang of cutthroats was a man named Victor Mills. Tall, broad shouldered with a patch over one withered eye and a shock of solid white hair, his mere appearance had been known to scare people witless without his even having to speak.

Looking around the silent town, he grinned. This was going to be easier than he thought. "Boys!" He called to his men. "Take this town down. But remember, the red head and the brunette are mine."

But as he began to swing his leg up to dismount, Kitty suddenly appeared at the door of the Long Branch and lights all around town suddenly began to appear.

"Do you really think you could handle two of us?" Kitty asked with a smirk as she stepped out onto the boardwalk and leaned almost lazily against the door post of her saloon and stared at the fiend in front of her with an arched brow. She held the colt in her hand and it was pointed solidly at Mills chest.

"What the…?" His head swiveled on his filthy neck as he looked around to see people quickly appearing in every doorway and window both at street level and up above, each bearing a handgun or rifle and each one pointed at the men on horseback.

"How…?" He couldn't even find the words to speak, so stunned was he.

"Does it matter? We've got you outnumbered and surrounded." Amanda suddenly spoke from behind him as she stepped out of the shadows and started down the boardwalk towards Kitty. She'd forgotten the derringer, Kitty had given her, but she didn't think she'd need it.

"Like the lady said, you're surrounded." Kitty told him. "You might as well give up."

Mills took another look around him, considering his chances. "Alright, men." He finally called with a sigh. "Do what the lady says."

But as his men starting tossing their guns to the ground, Mills had another thought. Amanda, who was still moving towards Kitty, was just abreast of him and he decided to take a gamble.

Abruptly throwing himself sideways from his horse, he reached out and grabbed Amanda when he hit the ground and pulled her against him as he drew his gun and placed it against her head. "I'll kill her." He stated loudly. "Anybody tries anything and she's dead."

"Uh, huh." An angry male voice yelled from Doc's staircase behind him. "You are."

Mills whirled around, dragging Amanda with him like a rag doll, his gun pressed even tighter to her head. "I'll kill her!" He threatened again. "You'd better back off or she's gone."

"Lee!" Amanda called out, frightened not for herself but for him as she took in the sight of fresh blood running down his leg as he leaned heavily against the stair railing, his gun up and ready. She was afraid he'd either damage his leg permanently or get himself killed. "Lee, don't."

"Let her go!" Lee demanded furiously as he carefully aimed the gun at the treacherous man's head. The pain in his injured leg was nothing compared to what he would feel if that man hurt Amanda. If that happened nothing else would matter. "Drop your gun and let her go." He yelled again.

Kitty, behind the man and his hostage, wanted to take a hand in this but she saw how tightly the bandit held Amanda to him and the way he had the gun pressed to her head. She was afraid anything she did would result in her friend's death. But she could do something. "Amanda." She called softly. "Relax, Amanda. Relax."

Amanda understood what Kitty was telling her. Swallowing hard, she looked up at Lee, meeting his gaze trying to tell him with her gaze what she couldn't say out loud.

As she continued to stare at him, Lee saw it. With a slight nod, he took a deep breath. "NOW!" He screamed.

Amanda dropped like a sack of stones, all of her weight now in the man's unprepared arms. His gun came away from her just long enough for Lee to squeeze off one shot. One shot was all he needed as the bandit flew backwards from the impact of the bullet that hit him square in the middle of his forehead.

Like Brock Dowd, before him, Victor Mills was dead.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

The minute Mills released Amanda from his iron grip she sprang back to her feet and ran as fast as she could to Lee.

He had remained standing, as long as he did, only out of sheer force of will, determined to protect Amanda at any cost. But when he knew that she was at last safe, he suddenly realized how very bad his leg was and he began to crumble.

Doc, who'd seen him falling quickly made his way to him and grabbed his arm before he could fall down the stairs. A second later, Amanda was there, taking his other arm and giving him her strength and love.

Down below, Kitty watched the two with a smile, recognizing that Lee and Amanda shared the same kind of rare love that she and Matt did. As Doc and Amanda helped Lee back into Doc's office, Kitty turned her attention back to the bandits still sitting atop their horses, too startled, at the turn of events, to move.

"Alright, gentlemen." Kitty looked up at them with a grin. "Let's get you to jail." She turned to the armed towns people who'd gathered around. "Fellas! Take em away."

As the towns people gathered around the bandits and began to herd them off, Sam and Matt came quickly riding into town. Matt's wound, while painful, hadn't been serious and as soon as he regained consciousness, nothing Sam could do, would stop him from mounting his horse and riding back to Dodge as fast as Buck could bring him.

Only when he reached the outskirts of town and saw how quiet it was, did he slow his pace a touch and come in, cautiously prepared to find villains at every turn.

Instead, he found his wife, anxiously waiting at the doors of the Long Branch, a grimace of worry clouding her beautiful features when saw him approach with blood on his shoulder and head. "Matt!" She screamed as she raced down to meet him. "Oh my God, Matt. Are you alight?"

Matt nodded as he carefully dismounted and pulled her to him with his good arm. "I'm alright, Kitty." He reassured her with a kiss to the crown of her head. "I'm alright. But what about you? What happened here?"

Finally taking a breath as she realized that he wasn't as bad as he looked, Kitty wrapped her arm around his waist. "Come on, Cowboy. Let's get you to Doc's first then we'll talk."

Matt nodded but didn't move. "Are you alright?"

Kitty nodded, pushing back threatening tears. "I'm okay." She answered softly.

Matt wasn't sure he believed her but he accepted it for the time being. He looked over at Sam. "Would you take care of the horses?"

"Yes, sir." Sam nodded as he took the reins and watched the two walk towards Doc's, arm in arm. As he headed over to the stable, he grinned thinking about them. His grin disappeared though when he neared the stable doors and found Festus rolling around on the ground inside, trying to shed himself of the ropes binding his hands.

"Festus?" He ran over to the deputy and helped him up so he could untie him. "You Okay?"

"Naw, I ain't." Festus grumbled. "That yahoo just banged me on the head and left me here. I got ta find him, Sam."

Sam shook his head. "No, you don't, Festus. He's already been found."

"What do ya mean?" Festus frowned over at him.

Sam sighed with a weary shake of his head. "Help me with the horses, Festus and I'll tell you everything."

Up in Doc's office, Amanda sat pensively beside Lee, holding tightly to his hand, as Doc helped him off with his pants and gently began to examine the torn flesh of his leg. She saw the pain on Lee's handsome features when he gritted his teeth at every touch. But Lee never said a word. Amanda knew he wouldn't but she wanted to. Still, like Lee, she remained quiet.

"Well, Son. I'm gonna have to sew that back up and I'm going to have to put you out in order to do that. You tore that leg up pretty good with that stunt you pulled."

Lee swallowed hard. "Well, alright then." He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Go ahead and sew it up. But you're not going to put me out. I've been lying flat on my back for long enough."

"Lee…"

"No, Amanda." His expression and tone were stern, almost angry until he saw her fear and worry and he softened. "Amanda, I… I just can't. Alright?"

But Amanda shook her head, causing the blue ribbon she'd placed in her hair earlier that day to fall out and land on the exam table between them where Lee picked it up. "No, Lee, it's not alright. You were hurt badly and you could be permanently crippled if you don't let Doc do this?"

"Amanda…"

But Lee was interrupted by the door opening and Matt and Kitty coming in, the Marshal obviously wounded. "Marshal?

"What the…?" Doc started to ask but changed his mind. No sense in asking how or what.

"It's a long story." Matt shook his head as he spotted Lee's leg. "I see you've got some problems of your own."

"You both have problems." Doc spoke up as he looked at both men. "The biggest one is stubbornness and stupidity." Walking over to him, Doc pulled Matt's shirt aside and looked at his shoulder. "Well, it's not too bad. More a graze then anything. Tell ya what Kitty, take Matt into the other room and make him lie down. I'll be in there in a few minutes."

As Kitty started to steer Matt to the back room, Doc added, "Oh and you might want to tell Papa there about what's gonna happen in six months. Maybe it'll keep him here in town and out of bullet range for a while. I'm tired of patching him up."

Matt stopped and looked curiously at Kitty who glared at Doc. "What's he talking about?"

"Come on, Cowboy." Kitty sighed. "It's gonna take a lot of telling and you need to be lying down when I do it." As she again began to push Matt to the back room, she arched a brow at Doc's grin. "You talk too much."

Doc took a swipe of his mustache. "Well, maybe, but I figure if you don't tell him soon, he might take off again before you can. You want that?"

Kitty shook her head, a reluctant smile playing along her lips. Once inside the back room, Kitty nodded towards the bed. "Go on and lie down, Matt. I'll see about cleaning up that shoulder.

Matt shook his head. "Uh huh. You sit down and tell me what happened here tonight first and then tell me what Doc was talking about. My shoulder can wait."

"Matt..."

"Kitty." Matt's expression was loving but stern. "Tell me."

She knew he wouldn't like what she'd done but she also knew he wouldn't relent until she told him. "I didn't do too much at all really." She answered, trying to downplay her role in the events. "I just put out word to everyone in town that we needed men with guns to be ready and waiting for when Mills got here. And when he did, everybody was waiting and it all worked out." She said that last part quickly and purposely avoided his gaze.

"Kitty." Matt's voice was sharp. "Everything."

"Oh, well, that... that is everything, Matt." She still refused to look at him and Matt knew there was more.

"Kitty."

"Oh, alright." She finally looked up at him. "But you need to sit down first. I will not have you swaying on your feet while I talk and I'm tired of looking up. I'm getting a crik in my neck."

Reluctantly, Matt sat down on the edge of the bed. "Alright. Tell me. Everything."

With a deep sigh, Kitty sat down next to him. "When Mills got here, I went out to meet him and before you holler about me being in danger, I want you to know I wasn't. Or at least not too much. I had the gun you gave me and I had it aimed squarely at Mills' chest. If he'd made one move towards me..."

"I saw him lying on the boardwalk, Kitty." Matt pointed out. "He obviously made a move on somebody."

Kitty nodded. "Yeah, he grabbed Amanda. But she and Lee work together as well as you and I do and they stopped him. Lee shot him when Amanda managed to get out of the way."

Matt took a deep calming breath, reminding himself that she was there and fine and it had worked out, but he still didn't like the idea of her putting herself in a position like that. "Kitty..."

"Don't say it, Matt." She warned with an arched brow. "I'm okay and that's all that matters."

Finally Matt pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly. "I guess it is. But I don't want you to ever pull a stunt like that again. You hear me?" When Kitty nodded against his chest, he kissed her again and then pushed her back slightly. "Alright,then. Now you can tell me what it was that Doc was talking about."

Outside in the front of the office, Doc listened for a few minutes to make sure he didn't hear anything or anyone falling and then turned his attention back to Lee. "Well? You going to let me take care of that for you properly or not?"

Lee knew Doc was right and looking over at Amanda, he knew that for her sake alone, even if not for his own, he had to let Doc do as he wanted. "Alright." He finally agreed. "I'll do it. I don't want to, but I will."

"Good." Doc answered noting the look of relief on Amanda's face as he stepped over to his medicine cabinet and began to remove the items he needed.

"You're what!" Matt's shocked but very pleased voice was suddenly heard from the other room.

Doc grinned as he gathered his supplies. Kitty Russell Dillon had just found a way to keep her husband home.

Amanda and Lee exchanged grins as and Amanda kissed him again. "They're going to be alright now, Lee. So are we. We're going always going to be alright as long as we stay together.

Lee returned the kiss and then looked down at the blue ribbon he still held in his hand, the one Amanda had been wearing. Curling his fist tightly around it, he nodded. "You're right, Amanda. We're going to be fine."

"Thank you, Lee." Amanda reached over and softly kissed him.

Taking the glass of laudanum Doc had handed him, he swallowed it and then lay back on the table. The last thing he thought about, before the narcotic took hold, was Amanda's beautiful face in front of him and the blue ribbon he still held in his hand. Amanda's blue ribbon.

"I'll see you when you wake up, Lee." Amanda told him as the blackness closed in. "I'll be right here."

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Lee woke with a bad headache and a warm hand holding his. Painfully he opened his eyes to see Amanda sitting beside him, an anxious expression on her face. He wasn't yet sure where he was, but Amanda's presence was comforting and welcome.

"Lee?" She whispered. "You okay?"

Lee blinked hard in the harsh glare of the overhead lights. "Amanda? Where am I?"

"Parker General." She told him. "You were hurt yesterday and you were shot and I didn't know if you were going to make it and I've been sitting here waiting for so long and I, well, I was so worried that… But you're awake and well I, well, I was just so worried you know. I mean, you were hurt and the doctors wouldn't exactly say how well you were doing and I. Well, you… Oh, Lee. I was so scared but I am so happy to see you awake." She smiled happily at him.

Lee only took in half of that but he understood he was in the hospital and as his head began to clear, he remembered a strange dream he'd been having about being in a doctor's office back in the old west and Amanda was there as his wife. He even remembered the names of the people that had surrounded him there. Doc Adams and Kitty and Matt Dillon.

He rubbed his sore head just thinking about it and how real it had all seemed. He knew there was no way he could have possibly traveled back to 1870's Dodge City, Kansas, like Amanda still claimed she did the year before. It was impossible. And yet he could see the events as they transpired in his dream as though they were real. Even Mills, the double agent had put in an appearance and looked just like he did in real life.

"Mills." He groaned as he began to push the covers off of him so he could get up, while Amanda tried to hold him down.

"Lee, you can't get up. You were shot. Your leg's in bad shape." Amanda refused to allow him up. "Lee, please..."

"Amanda, I have to. I saw Victor Mills meeting with some KGB agents. I don't know what they were talking about but I need to find out."

"No, you don't, Scarecrow." Billy's voice came booming from the doorway.

"Billy," Lee protested with a glare at both him and Amanda. "I can't let Mills get away. Do you know what kind of damage he can do to us?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Billy approached the bed. "When the KGB realized who you were, they apparently thought Victor Mills was double crossing them. We found him this morning floating in the Potomac. His tongue was cut out. I don't think he'll be spilling any more secrets from now on."

Amanda winced at the description and Billy noticed. "Sorry, Amanda, I know that's a little graphic."

"That's alright, Sir." She answered solemnly. As she tried to get that image out of her head, she looked at something much more pleasing to her eyes. The face of Lee Stetson. "See!" She smiled at him. "You don't have to go anywhere and you can relax and get well."

Lee, though relieved that Mills would be able to share no more secrets with the Russians, was anything but relaxed. He hated hospitals. He hated everything about them. Especially when he was a patient in one.

But looking at the smiling face of the sometime bedside bluebell and the stern countenance of his employer, and feeling the pain of his wounded leg, Lee decided that right then, he didn't have much choice other than to just lay back and accept his fate.

"Alright, Amanda." He relaxed against the pillows behind him with a sigh. "I'll stay put, at least for now. But I want you two to know that I'm not happy about this and if I get a chance, I'm out of here." He threw that last at Billy with a glare.

It didn't faze Billy in the slightest. He wasn't concerned about Lee's escaping from the hospital before he was released by the doctor, because he'd placed guards outside Lee's door. Even the super talented and tricky Scarecrow wouldn't be able to get past these men. Or at least he hoped he wouldn't.

"Get some rest, Lee." Billy shook his head at him before looking down at Amanda. "Amanda, I'm recommending the same thing for you. You've been here most of the time since Lee was brought in and you must be exhausted."

"Oh, I'm alright, Sir." Amanda ducked her head, afraid the shadows under her eyes would give lie to her words. In truth she was tired, but it wasn't important to her. All that had mattered was that Lee was alright, although at the present he didn't seem to agree with her.

But Lee did agree with Billy. Though touched and more than a little pleased that she'd stayed with him, he, like Billy, could see how she'd neglected herself in favor of taking care of him.

"Amanda." His tone was soft and pleading. "Billy's right. You need to go home and get some rest and a good meal. You don't look like you've eaten anything either."

"No, Lee." She protested. Amanda wanted to stay with Lee. "Really, I'm fine. I've just been worried about you."

Lee reached out and took her hand, tugging on it until she raised her eyes and met his gaze. "You can stop worrying now. I'm going to be fine, Amanda. Before you know it, I'll be up and running circles around Billy. Of course I could probably do that now, but I don't want to make him feel bad."

Amanda almost smiled at Lee's attempt at humor and the look Billy gave him. But then she thought about how he'd looked yesterday when she'd gotten there to find him unconscious and seriously wounded. She wasn't sure she could stand it, if she were to leave and something more were to happen to him.

"If you're going to talk about me, the least you can do is wait until I'm out of the room, Scarecrow." Billy said grumpily.

But Lee threw him a grin and looked once more at Amanda. "Please, Amanda. Go home. I'm fine and if Billy has his way, I'll be right here for a while. Please…"

Amanda remembered another time at a train station when he'd pleaded that way and she knew then as she knew now, she couldn't tell him no. "Oh, alright, Lee." She finally sighed. "I'll go. But I'll be back this evening to check on you. Try not to escape before then, huh?"

Lee shook his head at her. "No you won't. You go home and then come back tomorrow. I promise to still be here until you return."

"I'll see to it." Billy put in as Amanda got up and started to gather her purse and sweater.

Suddenly she stopped though, and reached into the top of her purse and pulled out a faded blue ribbon. Stepping back over to the bed, she held it out to Lee. "I almost forgot, Lee. This was clutched in your hand when they brought you in. The nurse handed it to me. She said they liked to never got it away from you."

Lee accepted the ribbon and looked down at it for several moments, remembering the ribbon he'd taken from Amanda's hair in his dream, just before Doc Adams had put him out so he could work on his leg.

"What is that, Lee?" Billy came closer and looked at the strip of cloth curiously.

For several seconds, Lee didn't reply as he stared at it. But finally he looked up at Billy and then over to Amanda. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He answered.

Two weeks later, Lee was out of the hospital and finally home, though not back at work. Though he insisted long and loud that he was perfectly capable of resuming his job, Billy, backed up by Mr. Smythe, refused to allow him to do so. They'd even instructed Mrs. Marsden that should he come in, they were to be notified and he would taken right back out.

It irritated Lee but he knew there was nothing he could do about it except bide his time and wait, something he wasn't particulary good at. Still, he did have someone in his life that was good at waiting, or at least waiting on him. As a matter of fact, she'd been doing an awful lot of that while he was in the hospital and afterwards.

With a smile, Lee thought about the beautiful woman who'd taken his heart, even if he wasn't quite yet willing to admit it. She had been there for him even at times when no one else could stand to be around him. He owed her a lot and he determined that as soon as he could, he would find a way to show her how grateful he was to have her in his life.

Thinking of Amanda, Lee remembered the ribbon she'd handed him in the hospital. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled it out, holding it up to once again look at an impossibility. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he hadn't time traveled. That was impossible. The things he saw and experienced in 1870's Dodge had merely been a dream, he was positive of that and yet it had seemed so real.

As he sat there looking intently at the ribbon, a knock came at his door. "Come in." He called, putting the piece back in his pocket where now it resided constantly.

"Lee?" It was Amanda and she looked confused, excited and worried all at once.

"Hey, Amanda." He smiled till he saw her expression. "What's wrong?"

Amanda reached in her purse and pulled out a yellowed envelope, holding it tightly. "I'm not sure anything's wrong." She answered. "But... well, I... I..."

"You what?" Lee asked. "And what's that you have there?"

Amanda dropped her purse on the coffee table and sat down beside Lee. "I was cleaning out the attic this morning." She told him, looking once again at the envelope she held. "I found a desk in the back corner that I've never seen before, well, I say desk, but it was more of a table with a drawer in it, you know like those you see in an antique store only it wasn't in an antique store it was in my attic and well anyway, it, you know, it looked really old and it was covered in dust and cobwebs and all and..."

"Amanda." Lee stopped her. "Will you get to it and tell me what that is?" He loved her but sometimes her rambling got to him.

Amanda nodded. "You're right. Well, anyway, like I said, I've never seen that desk before but since it was in my house, I figured it had to be mine, because you know, well, I mean people don't break into your house to leave stuff do they? Of course they don't so I..."

"Amanda." Lee stopped her again. "The envelope."

"I'm coming to that." She sighed. "Anyway, when I opened the drawer of the desk or table or what ever, I found this. It..." She took a deep breath as she handed it to him. "It was addressed to us."

Curiously, Lee took the extremely aged envelope, noting the one cent stamp on the outside and the return address of Dodge City, Kansas. Swallowing hard, he opened the envelope and pulled out the card inside. It was a birth announcement from Kitty and Matt Dillon announcing the arrival of their son, Matthew Dillon Jr. The note on the bottom of the card was addressed to Amanda and Lee, thanking them for all they had done not only for Dodge but for them as well.

Lee looked up at Amanda then back at the envelope, turning it over in his hands several times. Silently, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ribbon. In his objective, perfectly logical and clear minded way, Lee put the ribbon inside the card and the card back inside the envelope, knowing he was holding something that shouldn't and couldn't be, yet was.

"What do you think, Lee?" Amanda asked with a nod toward the envelope. "I mean, I know what happened last year and I know that Kitty wasn't pregnant when we were there. And what does that mean about saving Dodge? I mean, did we go back to Dodge and I don't know about it?"

Lee handed the card back to her and shook his head. "Remember what Mr. Dillon said last year when we saw that address book and I said it couldn't be?" He asked her.

"Sure." Amanda answered. "He said you never can tell about things."

"Yeah, well, he was right." Lee sighed. "You never can."

The End


End file.
